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From Page One, Page 3A
Local & State, Page 4A
Sports, Page 1B FRIDAY, September 4, 2009
Volume XCV, No. 207
(252) 436-2700
www.hendersondispatch.com
50 cents
Legislative wrap: Not enough money Woman missing a year Problem for state: Fuel-efficient vehicles use less gas to tax By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
The gas tax, the sales tax, highway construction/maintenance costs, toll roads and the State’s money crisis all surfaced Thursday during a legislative wrap-up breakfast at the Henderson Country Club. State Sen. Doug Berger, Rep. Jim Crawford and Rep. Michael Wray fielded questions on those topics, as well as the General Assembly’s epic and painful budgetcutting session that recently ended. Several dozen people attended the local/state/federalissues discussion Wray which was sponsored by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce. “We are $65 billion short in money we need for road maintenance and construction over Berger the next 20 years,” Crawford said. “A sales tax on gas would make more sense to me,” he told the audience. Crawford and Berger said the gallon tax on gas “is killing us” when it comes to generating spending money needed for all kinds of projects and programs. The increasing fuel-efficiency of vehicles means there are fewer gallons of gas to tax, which means a reduction in various budgets when compared with previous years, Crawford said. “We’re using roads more, but we’re selling less gas per mile,” he added. “There’s no tax to compensate for them.” Crawford said the cost of petroleum-based road construction products goes up with the price of gas. A representative for 26 years, he said the State Department of Transportation is working with the federal government, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia in discussions about “tolling” Inter-
Index Our Hometown . . . . . 2A Business & Farm. . . . 5A Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 8A Light Side . . . . . . . . . 9A Sports. . . . . . . . . . 1-5B Comics . . . . . . . . . . . 6B Classifieds. . . . . . 7-10B
Community holds vigil for Kelly Morris By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
Daily Dispatch photo
Dennis Renn of First Citizens Bank, left, shares a comment with Rep. Jimmy Crawford at the conclusion of Thursday’s Legislative Day hosted by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce. Listening on, from left, are Vance County Commissioner Danny Wright and Timothy Baynes, executive director of the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments. state 95. The gas tax is needed to repair The General Assembly passed His best guess was that it might the roads in North Carolina, which a joint resolution supporting the happen a “minimum” of 15-20 are more numerous than in any implementation of the Passenger years from now. He called the time other state except Texas, according Rail Investment and Improvement frame “a moving target.” to Berger. “We will surpass Texas,” Act of 2008 and the American In an interview after the meethe predicted. Recovery and Reinvestment Act of ing, Crawford mentioned four toll Berger said the gas tax paid for 2009, Wray told his listeners. projects on the drawThe acts establish ing board at the North a program of fedCarolina Department Four N.C. toll projects on the drawing board eral capital grants to of Transportation. — but ‘tolling’ Interstate 95 decades away improve passenger, One of them, the intermodal and freight 540 Bypass in Raleigh, services, according to is supposed to be finished in two rebuilding Interstate 85. Wray. years. Faced with a $4.5 billion deficit, He said they create a new He said those expected to be the General Assembly cut spendcapital program for states to completed in about five years are: ing by $2 billion in an effort to expand and improve passenger • Monroe Bypass in Charlotte. balance the State’s budget, Berger rail services, and encourage public• Currituck Bridge at the Outer explained. private partnerships that work on Banks. Taxes were raised by $990 high-speed rail projects. • A main road from Gastonia to million, he said. “The remainder of Wray added that the General the airport in Charlotte. the $4.5 billion deficit was covered Assembly also approved legislation Berger said the Senate wanted with stimulus money.” that allows counties to raise more to expand the sales tax to cover On the subject of transportation, money for mass transit projects, more services so they could lower Wray said related stimulus dollars and make the State’s roads the rate “which is the highest in will be spent fairly. “We will study safer by outlawing text messaging the Southeast.” ways to make improvements to while driving. The House and the Senate our current system, and give our ended up compromising on a onelocal governments more tools to Contact the writer at awheless@ cent sales tax increase, he added. increase local transit options.” hendersondispatch.com.
Two forums set for Granville candidates One each in northern, southern ends of county; election on Nov. 3 By WILLIAM F. WEST Daily Dispatch Writer
Two pre-election forums have been set so Granville County voters can see and hear their candidates. The first one is set for Oct. 1 at the Today Oxford Public Works Building at 227 W. McClanahan St. for Oxford and Stovall candidates. The second one is Partly... set for Oct. 6 at Creedmoor City Hall High: 85 Low: 58 at 111 Masonic St. for Creedmoor, Butner and Stem candidates. The forums are being sponSaturday sored by the County Chamber of Commerce’s Government Forum Committee and the County Human ...sunny Relations Commission. During each High: 88 forum, refreshments will be served Low: 62 at 6 p.m., with the candidate presentations to start at 7 p.m. Details, 3A Each candidate is being advised of
Weather
Deaths
Durham Gloria A. Thomas, 53 Franklinton Shonquil F. Ward, age 2 Oxford Inez W. Cifers, 91
a three-minute speaking limit and to be recognized per the list provided by the County Board of Elections. Organizers of the forums say there should be time remaining for questions from attendees at the end of the candidate presentations. The election is Nov. 3 for all five municipalities in the county. In Oxford, voters will be choosing a mayor for a two-year term and four city commissioners for a four-year term. Oxford’s seven commissioners serve staggered terms. In Stovall, voters will be choosing a pair of town commissioners for a four-year term. Stovall’s five commissioners serve staggered terms. The mayor is up for election to a two- year term, but is unopposed. In Creedmoor, voters will be
choosing a pair of city commissioners for a four-year term. Creedmoor’s five commissioners serve staggered terms. The mayor is up for election for a two-year term, but is unopposed. In Butner, voters will be choosing a mayor for a two-year term and all six town council members for a fouryear term. In Stem, voters will be choosing a mayor for a two-year term and three town commissioners for a four-year term. Stem’s five commissioners serve staggered terms.
CREEDMOOR — Family members, friends and neighbors on Thursday evening lit candles at a vigil for Kelly Currin Morris, the southern Granville County woman who has been missing for a year. “We have poured out our heart and souls, as has our community, to try to find her,” her stepmother, Juanita Currin, told the Dispatch moments before the vigil, which was at the daycare Morris lot of Creedmoor Baptist Church. “And our belief is that somebody out there knows something. And our hope and desire is that God will work in their heart and that they’ll come forward and tell what they know, so that we can put an end to this,” Currin said. Morris’ father, Pat Currin, has continued to offer a $30,000 reward for information leading to the finding of his daughter. Currin told the Dispatch moments before the vigil that a small search party was out earlierin the day by his daughter’s fire-damaged former residence at 3220 Tump Wilkins Roadsoutheast of Stem. “Still praying and searching and looking for some answers,” Currin said. “I feel for him because you know they need some closure,” Creedmoor Fire Chief Bobby Ray told the Dispatch. Ray, who has participated in searches for Morris, said he, too, would continue looking, adding, “When would you want to stop if it was your daughter missing?” Doug Vinsel, of Raleigh, is chief executive officer of Duke Raleigh Hospital, where Juanita Currin is director of surgical services. The two additionally once worked together at WakeMed. And Vinsel told the Dispatch, Please see MORRIS, page 6A
To see the complete list of candidates, go on-line to www.hendersondispatch.com/ and click on Extras! Contact the writer at bwest@hendersondispatch.com.
Trio wanted in fatal shooting at large By AL WHELESS Daily Dispatch Writer
With two related arrests made Obituaries, 4A Aug. 19, detectives with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office are still looking for three other men in the July 31 fatal shooting of David Lee Hargrove in his home at 2697 Morgan Road. Those sought are Summorius Lamont Waverly, Christopher Watkins
and Tywan Durham. Tavon Tabarus Durham, 17, and Jason Ryan Warring, 21, were the suspects taken into custody. Each has a bond of $145,000. The charges on all five are the same: • Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury. • Attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon.
• Conspiracy. Investigators have previously said that the shooting occurred during an attempted burglary. Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Waverly, Watkins and Durham is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (252) 738-2200 or Crime Stoppers at (252) 492-1925. Contact the writer at awheless@hendersondispatch.com.
Daily Dispatch/William F. West
A teary-eyed Juanita Currin, left, and Pat Currin hold candles Thursday evening in Creedmoor at the vigil for Kelly Currin Morris, who has been missing for a year. Pat Currin is Morris’ father and Juanita Currin is Morris’ stepmother.